Coming Back Down
by Agent Gibbs
Summary: My take on after 9x24. Character death, Tony's Italian Mob-style VENDETTA, major surprise. T for violence and... Other content.
1. The Explosion

The explosion rocked the entire NCIS building. Trapped in the elevator, Tony and Ziva were assumed to be the only ones that might have survived. How wrong that assumption was...

Debris collapsed around them. Tony's wrist was broken, but that was the least of his worries. Ziva, his crazy Israeli Ninja, was trapped under a slab of concrete, and she was fading fast.

"Ziva, you stay with me! Stay away from the light!" Tony's voice was panicked as he took Ziva in his arms and held her.

Before she faded, she told Tony, "I love you."

"I love you too, Ziva. Hey! Stay with me." They shared a kiss that turned out to be the last kiss of Ziva's life.

Tony tried CPR, but it was too late. Ziva was gone, and Tony was screaming for help as loud as he could. She couldn't be dead. She survived so much, and now...

The elevator doors opened and paramedics went right for Tony, not even worrying about Ziva. Tony was yelling at them to take care of Ziva first.

"Agent DiNozzo, we can't do anything for her. She's gone."

Tony threw a punch at the medic that said that, breaking the poor guy's nose. He couldn't bring himself to believe it; not even after Gibbs head-slapped him and said it.

Instead, Tony carried Ziva out of the elevator and put her on the gurney, crying. He didn't care who saw him at this point. He lost the woman he loved, and he wanted revenge on the person that killed her. Harper Dearing would pay with his life.

"Vendetta! VENDETTA!" Tony kept saying this as he was dragged to the hospital and knocked out by anesthesia.

'_She can't be dead. No way, not as tough as she is. She can survive anything. Come on, Ziva. Wake up and say April Fool._' - Tony's last conscious thought.

Gibbs knew how Tony felt, but he also knew that Tony had to do this himself. No back up could be given from NCIS or any other Federal Agency. Tony's vendetta would have to be carried out solo.


	2. Alchohol

One week after Ziva's death, Tony was still not back at work. According to Gibbs, Tony was on a mission that could not end in failure. When McGee asked about the assignment, he got slapped.

In truth, Tony was still at home, listening to Brantley Gilbert's song "You Don't Know Her Like I Do" over and over and over again, while at the same time drinking more than he had ever drank in his life.

When Gibbs dropped by to check on Tony that Friday, he was not pleased with what he saw.

"DiNOZZO!"

Tony looked up, "Oh, hey, boss." His speech was so slurred that Gibbs took the bottle that Tony was drinking out of and literally threw it out the window. He then shut off the song and head-slapped Tony so hard that he began to sober up.

"Tony, I know what you're going through. Believe me, it never stops hurting."

Tony threw an angry look (and a beer bottle) at Gibbs. "You know how I feel? Have you ever been afraid to tell someone you love the truth because of some goddamn rule? Right now, as far as I'm concerned, you're just as much to blame as the bastard that detonated that bomb."

"Okay, Tony. You're right. I don't know how you feel, but I can help you find the person that set the bomb off. But I want to see you back at work Monday, 0700. If you're late, don't bother going to your desk. I'll fire you myself. You got that, you lousy drunk?"

In a drunken rage, Tony punched his friend and mentor right on the chin. "Call me that again, Gibbs. I DARE YOU!"

Tony swung again, but Gibbs was too quick. He clocked Tony between the eyes and watched his Senior Field Agent crumple.

Not wanting Tony to do anything stupid, Gibbs decided that he was going to stay with Tony until Monday.


	3. Finding Harper Dearing

That Monday, Tony was back at work, but still vowing revenge. McGee learned quick to leave Tony alone, mainly because he took a head-slap and a warning from Gibbs.

Instead of sitting at his desk doing nothing, Tony went to see Abby, under the pretense of seeing if she had anything on the guy that made the bomb.

When he got to Abby's lab, he found himself on the receiving end of a strangling hug. "I can't breathe," was all Tony managed to say before Abby let him go.

"Welcome back, Tony. The place hasn't been the same since you were gone and since Ziva-" Abby stopped talking at the look on Tony's face.

With his eyes welling up, Tony said, "Did you find anything on the son of a bitch that made that bomb?"

"Yes, but I expected Gibbs to ask."

"What do ya got? Name, address, Social Security Number, what?"

"All of the above."

"Address?"

"His last known address is three blocks away."

"Well, can I have it?"

Abby wrote the address on a Sticky Note and put it on Tony's jacket.

"You okay, Tony?"

"I'll be fine, Abby."

"Well, we all know how you felt about Ziva. I just think that you might need to talk about it."

"Abbs, there's nothing to talk about. I loved her. I STILL love her. Rule 12 kept us both from acting on those feelings. I just wish that-"

"Tony shut up and listen to this song."

"What's it called?"

"It's 'Coming Back Down' by Hollywood Undead. Just shut up and listen." Abby hit the 'play' button and Tony became lost in the song.

When the song finished, Tony pulled out his phone and downloaded it, fully intent on using the song annoy McGee.

"Thanks, Abbs. I guess that I need to let this sink in some more. But I still plan to use that bastard as a human target when I get my hands on him."

Tony took the stairs (Gibbs was using the elevator as an office again.) back to the squad room and put Harper Dearing on the plasma, typing "VENDETTA" across his forehead before printing it out and leaving it on Gibbs' desk, along with his badge. This was personal, not business.


	4. VENDETTA

When Tony got to the address Abby gave him, Harper Dearing was sitting out front, minding his own business.

"Harper Dearing?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. Who are you?" Dearing replied.

"A friend. But call me Tony."

"Okay, Tony. What do you want?"

Tony quickly channeled his inner Italian hoodlum. "Your head. On a pike next to my desk."

"What? Who are you, really?"

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS. Your little present that you left in front of our building killed one of our agents, one that I cared about. Now I'm here for you. Call it... VENDETTA!"

Dearing made an attempt to run, but Tony was too quick. He pistol-whipped him on the side of the head, knocking the traitor out. Tony dragged Dearing into his house, tying him up.

When Dearing came to, Tony was standing over him, gloved, SIG (with a silencer on it) in hand.

"So. You put a bomb in front of NCIS. Were you working for yourself, or did someone hire you to do it?"

"Drop dead."

"Wrong answer." Tony drew his knife and sliced a hole in each of Dearing's biceps. "You wanna try again?"

"Piss off." Tony began carving Dearing like a Thanksgiving turkey, but soon threw his knife aside in favor of his bare hands. He pummeled Hayes until the Petty Officer passed out.

Instead of waiting for Dearing to wake up, Tony threw a bucket of water on his victim to revive him.

"You gonna tell me what I want to know? Or am I gonna have to kill you?"

Dearing chuckled, teeth missing out of his mouth and blood pouring down his chin. "You're gonna have to kill me," he snapped, spitting in Tony's face.

"That would be too easy. I think I'll just beat the truth out of you."

Tony punched and kicked Dearing repeatedly until the traitor began screaming. Tony took some Duct Tape and taped Dearing's mouth shut.

"Dearing, I think you need to experience what I felt." Tony pulled a grenade from his pocket and taped it to his victim's chest. "One wrong move and I pull that pin. You ready to talk?"

Dearing nodded, and Tony ripped the tape from his victim's mouth.

"Who were you working for?"

"Me. Your agency killed my son last year. I wanted revenge."

"Nobody named Dearing was ever in our cases. Who told you that?"

"No one had to. I know you did."

"Uh-huh. So, based off of some crazy BS hunch, you blow up NCIS and kill an agent."

"I didn't kill-"

"YOU KILLED THE WOMAN I LOVED! YOU PLANTED THAT BOMB! GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON NOT TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW YOU SON OF A BITCH! ONE REASON!"

"You're a Federal Agent. You wouldn't kill a man just for some broad that you can replace."

Tony snapped and pummeled Dearing's face until his own knuckles were bleeding under the gloves. As if that was not enough, Tony picked his SIG up off the ground and pulled the pin on the grenade.

"Say goodnight." Tony shot Dearing execution style, picked up his brass, and ran from the house as Gibbs and McGee pulled up. As Tony threw himself behind his car, the house went up.

Gibbs looked at Tony and head-slapped him.

"What was that for?"

"You shoulda waited. And you left your badge on my desk."

"Vendettas can't be carried out by Federal Agents, Gibbs. Besides, this was personal. Not business. I'm sure you can understand that."

Gibbs looked at what remained of the house, then told Tony, "Yeah DiNozzo. I get it. Get back to the office and wait for me by your desk."


	5. The Missing Body

When Tony got back to the office, he listened to "Coming Back Down" ten times before Gibbs and McGee got back.

"DiNozzo, elevator. Now." Tony heard Gibbs say.

After Gibbs and Tony were both in the elevator, Gibbs hit a button and flipped the switch.

"You're lucky Vance didn't see that photo on my desk."

"Is that why you called me in here?"

"No. Vance called me into his office when you went to see Abby. He told me that Ziva's body vanished from Bethesda last night, sometime after 1600. Nobody knows what happened, but I want you to get over there and review their security tapes. Call me if you catch anything unusual."

"Can I take McGeek?"

"Sure. Just don't kill him."

"Will restrain from it, boss."

"Good." Gibbs flipped the switch again and the elevator dinged at their floor.

Tony walked to his desk and grabbed his gear, telling McGee to do the same.

"Why?" McGee asked, taking a double head-slap.

"DO IT!" Gibbs ordered.

On the way to Bethesda, McGee asked Tony why they were headed there.

"Ziva's body vanished completely. Nobody knows where it is, so Gibbs wants us to go over the security tapes and see what happened, then call him if it's unusual."

"Unusual, like Ziva walking out of there?"

Tony slammed on the brakes, causing McGee to go head-first into the dashboard.

"Don't screw with me, Agent McGee. I will hurt you."

McGee saw the look in Tony's eye. Knowing his friend was serious (and hoping Ziva was actually alive), he apologized.

When Tony and McGee got to Bethesda, a security guard showed them to the camera room, and the two agents set up shop.

"How far back should we start looking, Tony?"

"1600. That's when the coroner left for the day."

McGee set the footage from the morgue to sync onto his laptop. Starting with 1600 hours, Tony watched the camera footage intently. McGee quickly fell asleep.


	6. You Can't Kill A Ninja

When the camera timed 2200, the freezer door opened. Ziva David was walking out of Bethesda hospital. Alive. Tony began whooping and hollering like a mad man, waking McGee up.

"Tony, what the HELL?"

"She's alive, Tim! I knew it! She's alive!"

"Wait, what?"

"Rewind the footage back to 2200."

When McGee rewound the footage, he saw it too. Ziva was alive, but nobody knew where she was. Tony pulled out his phone and called Gibbs.

"_Yeah, Gibbs._"

"She's alive! She walked out of Bethesda last night at 2200 hours."

"_Are you serious, DiNozzo?_"

"Very. I saw it. McGee did too."

"_Put out a BOLO on Ziva. She's coming back here._"

"Will do, boss." Click. Tony kissed McGee on the cheek, grinning his notorious grin. Tony called Muldini in dispatch and told him to put a BOLO on Ziva.

"_She's dead, Tony._"

"No she's not. She walked out of Bethesda last night at 2200. Put on that BOLO that any LEO that sees Ziva is to call me. Not Gibbs, not Vance. Me." Click.

"McGee-"

"The footage is downloaded, from 2200 until Ziva leaves Bethesda period."

"Good. Let's go."

"Where?" Head-slap.

"Back to the office, McGeek." Tony was in a great mood now that he knew Ziva was alive.


	7. The Death of Rule 12

Back at the office, Team Gibbs was waiting for anything on Ziva's whereabouts. Nothing came until 2130, when everybody was heading home.

Tony's phone started ringing. It was Metro PD.

"DiNozzo."

"_Agent DiNozzo, this is Detective Hardy, Metro PD. Your agent just walked into some apartment complex around the corner from The Fishbowl. Do you want an officer to grab her?_"

"No. She's at my place. I know that. I'll be there in about thirty minutes. Just have one of your guys watch the exits for her." Click.

Thirty minutes later, Tony was running up the stairs to his apartment. He could tell Ziva had broken into his apartment, but he still walked in (smiling), with his gun drawn.

"Zee-vah! Israeli Ninja! I know you're here!" The door closed behind Tony, and Ziva jumped into Tony's arms, kissing every inch of him she could reach.

That next morning, Ziva and Tony woke up in each other's arms. Ziva smiled, saying, "Good morning, Tony."

Tony just grinned, saying, "No way this morning is better than last night. No way." His phone rang.

"DiNozzo."

"_Agent DiNozzo, the NCIS Building is under construction. As a result, all agents assigned to the NCIS building have the rest of the week off. Gibbs already knows._" Click.

"Who was that Tony?"

"Vance. This whole week just got better than last night."

"How?"

"Everyone that works at the NCIS Building has the rest of the week off. Gibbs already knows."

Ziva giggled the same girlish giggle from the night before and Tony knew what she was thinking.

"Breakfast first, Ziva."

"Uh-uh. Later."

"That works." Someone was pounding on Tony's door. "Who is it?"

"Gibbs! Open the door!"

"One minute!" Tony was muttering in Italian as he pulled his pants on. He opened the door to a head-slap from his boss.

"DiNozzo, just because Vance said we have the day off doesn't mean that we aren't looking for Ziva."

"Thought you might say that. Zee-vah!"

The Israeli Ninja walked out of Tony's room, looking at the floor. "Hello, Gibbs."

"She broke in last night, boss. Before I got here."

"Well, at any rate, I'm glad you're okay. How'd you do it?" Gibbs replied.

"It was not easy. The slab of concrete did kill me, for five minutes. When they got me to Bethesda, I died again, so they stuck me in the morgue. When the Medical Examiner was about to cut me open, I came back again. He agreed not to tell anybody, but I had to stay there until he could smuggle me out. I grew restless waiting for him to deliver on his promise, so I snuck out on Sunday night. I broke in here last night to avoid the police. Then Tony and I broke Rule 12. Now you know."

"I don't care about you two breaking Rule 12. Just keep it out of the office. And I'm glad you're alive Ziva. You're still going to see Ducky when you get back to work."

"I can live with that. It is good to be alive again." Ziva replied, giving Gibbs an Abby-like hug.

When Gibbs left, Ziva turned to Tony. She smiled, giggling again, and Tony led her back to his bedroom. They were not back in Tony's room thirty seconds when someone else was knocking on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Tony-" McGee started.

"Open the door!" Abby yelled.

Before Tony had the door open completely, Abby flew in and grabbed Ziva in a strangling hug.

"Abby, I cannot breathe." Ziva gasped, and Abby let her go.

"So, why did you come here?" Abby asked the Israeli Ninja.

"It is a safe place. Plus, I think that Tony and I are finally going to be together."

"YAY!"

"Wow," McGee said. "Ziva, everyone but Tony thought that you were dead. How?"

"Probie." Tony said, pushing the 'play' button on his remote.

"Hmm?"

"**_You don't know her like I do._**_ You'll never understand. You don't know what we've been through. __**That girl's my best friend.**__ There's no way you're gonna help me, she's the only one who can. No, you don't know how much I've got to lose. __**You don't know her like I do**__._"


	8. Coming Back Down

That Monday, Tony was in the best mood anybody had seen him in for a while. They were about to find out why.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said. "The Invincible Israeli Ninja, ZIVA DAVID!" Tony played Machine Gun Kelly's song 'Invincible' as Ziva walked off the elevator and up to him. She kissed him in front of the entire office, and a lot of people were losing bets, including Jimmy Palmer, who had bet Ducky that Tony and Ziva would never hook up.

Vance was walking down to the squad room, up to Ziva.

"Welcome back, Agent David," he said.

"It is good to be back, Director." Ziva replied.

"Don't you have to go see Dr. Mallard?"

"Oh. Right." Ziva went to the elevator, down to see Ducky.

Vance turned his attention to Tony. "Agent DiNozzo, you screw this up and I'll put on a submarine until AFTER you retire from NCIS."

"Yes, sir." Tony said.

Satisfied that his best team was back at full function (or DYSFUNCTION, depending on if you're a Navy Head Shrinker), Vance went back to his office.

Meanwhile, Ziva was visiting Ducky.

"Ducky," she called as she entered Autopsy.

Ducky emerged from his office, a cup of tea in his hand. "Ziva! Welcome back." Palmer walked into autopsy, just in time to hear Ducky tell him, "Mister Palmer, I expect my one hundred dollars by Friday."

"Yes, Doctor Mallard," Palmer said.

"Ducky," Ziva said. "How many people were betting on me and Tony?"

"Everybody. But very few won money. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Gibbs wants me to be examined before I return to work. He told me to report to you."

"Very well. Mister Palmer, get Abby down here, please."

Back upstairs, Tony was talking McGee through a delicate problem.

"Just go for it, Probie. The worst she can say is no."

"Tony, it's not that easy. Just like I don't know Ziva like you do, You don't know Abby like I do."

"McGee, it's not that hard. Just tell her, ya McWimp!"

McGee went for the elevator as Ziva came out of the elevator. She walked up to Tony and asked, "Where is McGee going in such a hurry?"

"Abby's lab. He's gonna break Rule 12. But enough about McGeek. How're you doing?"

"Well, I will be fine. I have a broken rib, but it will heal in a week. Tony, how did you keep yourself going while I was gone?"

Tony took Ziva in his arms and said, "Well, you see, mostly, I was drinking a lot more than I usually do. But I was also...

_Down in the dirt with your blood on my hands_

_I blacked out but now I do understand_

_That you were too good for this world so you left it_

_Everything turned red and then you made an exit_

_I don't even know if it was your time,_

_But like all good things, you passed me by_

_Just like a lost soul in a time of need_

_It made me grow up fast and put some blood on my knees_

_And I don't even know what's beyond you_

_Thinking you could never die like you're bulletproof_

_So I guess you had to leave, you were born with wings_

_But you were never happy till the angels sing_..."

Ziva finished the thought, "_I just can't escape, it's like you're here with me now. But the words you say, they always seem to fade out. Since you've been away, I'm just a face in the crowd. Someday, someday, I know you're Coming Back Down. One day, one day, I know you're Coming Back Down._"

The two of them embraced and shared a kiss that seemed to last the rest of the day. When they broke apart, Gibbs just head-slapped both of them for not listening to what he said.

"Rule 51, boss?" Tony replied. Gibbs nodded and walked away.

Down in Abby's lab, McGee was trying to find the right words to tell the forensic scientist exactly how he felt, but right now, he was trying not to be seen. Too late.

"McGee, I see you! What do you want?"

McGee sighed, walking into Abby's lab. "Hey."

"Tim, you didn't come down here just to say hey."

"Ok, you got me. Abby, I think I love you."

"You only THINK, Tim? You either do or you don't. There is no go-between."

McGee hesitated. "Abby, I love you. No question."

"None?"

"None. At all."

Abby jumped up and down, pulling McGee into a suffocating hug.


	9. A Good Weekend

That Friday, Tony & Ziva were enjoying Ziva's first week being 'alive' (per Navy records), since the explosion. McGee and Abby were doing their own thing, which Tony called 'Geek Kink,' and Gibbs... well, he was building ANOTHER boat.

Ziva looked at Tony, a sense of longing in her eyes. This was what she wanted. She smiled at Tony, and he returned the smile as his Israeli Ninja Goddess got closer to him.

He kissed her, one, twice, three times, and Ziva pulled him into his bedroom for the night.

The next morning, Ziva and Tony were talking.

"Tony, I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"After the explosion, everybody else seemed to give up on me. When everybody was telling me about what you did, I knew. I knew that you were the only person that truly loves me. Thank you for giving my life a purpose."

"Well, they don't know you like I do. And as for the vendetta, chalk it up to a crime of passion. But for awhile afterwards, I was like a lost puppy without you. I couldn't bear to look at myself anymore."

"Why?"

"Because, Zee, without you, I crashed. I was drunk 24/7. I didn't do anything for about a week, even work. I punched Gibbs, which is a new all-time low for me. But now, I know that life is worth living again."

Ziva could see the tears welling up in Tony's eyes, but she didn't say anything about it. Instead, all she said was, "Tony, I saw the bottles in here when I broke in."

Tony grinned, saying, "Yeah, but now I'm only Drunk On You, Ziva. And high on summertime."

Ziva kissed Tony, telling him to relax, and she took control of the moment.

After about thirty minutes, one of Tony's neighbors called the cops.

"Metro PD! Open the door!" A voice outside Tony's apartment yelled.

"Seriously? Somebody called the cops," Tony said in disbelief.

Ziva giggled again, saying, "Don't answer."

"If someone doesn't open this door, I'm gonna kick it in!" the cop yelled.

"Give me two minutes, ya jackass!" Tony yelled back.

Two minutes later both Tony and Ziva were at the door, and Tony had a plan to screw with the cop.

Opening the door, Tony casually asked, "Officer, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well, we're getting a whole bunch of noise complaints from your neighbors. One of them even described it as someone 'watching porn with surround sound.' What's really going on here?"

"That wasn't a dirty movie."

"What was it, then?"

Ziva moved from behind Tony, giving the cop a death stare.

"People are looking for you."

"Not anymore. Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS. I was trying a... New interrogation technique," Tony said, his hand gliding past Ziva's waist, resting on her buttocks.

"Uh-huh. Well, next time you use that, put up some soundproofing or something."

"Goodbye," Tony said, slamming his door in the cop's face.

"So, what is this new interrogation technique?"

"Really? You couldn't tell I was lying?"

"So it was to get rid of him?"

"Yeah. Now, where were we?"

Ziva and Tony went back to what they were doing, without a second thought.


	10. Elevator Talk & Telling Gibbs

Six weeks later, Ziva told Tony they needed to talk.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Not here. Elevator."

The two of them got up and went to the elevator, and Ziva flipped the emergency switch.

"Tony, where does our relationship stand?"

"Well, honestly, I'd say past 'friend' and close to 'dating.' Why?"

"It has to be more than dating now, Tony."

"What?"

"Tony, I- I'm pregnant."

His reaction was not what she had expected. Instead of Tony panicking, he seemed... happy.

Grinning, he said, "Ziva, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you to marry me."

"Tony, I will marry you. But WE need to tell Gibbs."

"Okay. Let's tell him." Tony flipped the switch, and before they could get off the elevator, Gibbs got on.

"Both of you," he said, "stay here."

Gibbs flipped the switch, staring at Tony and Ziva. "Something that you two want to tell me?"

"Well, boss, uh, I-"

"Shut up Tony. Gibbs, I'm going to have Tony's child." Double head-slap.

"I can't say I'm surprised. You two are hornier than a pair of rabbits after the Spring Thaw. DiNozzo-"

"Boss, I already asked her, and she said yes."

"Good. DiNozzo, if you screw this up, you won't have to worry about Ziva or her family killing you. I'll do it myself."

"Threat received. Dually noted."

"Good. Go home, both of you."


	11. Eli's Threats

Three in the morning. Somebody was pounding on Tony's door, and it woke him up. He was already upset because of the time, but when he heard Eli David on the other side of his door, he got positively pissed.

Holding his SIG in one hand, he opened the door. "Mr. David, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"1900 hours."

"More like 0300 hours. What do you want?"

"We need to talk," Eli snapped, barging into Tony's apartment.

"Do come in," Tony said, sarcastically. "I'll ask you one more time, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"I want to know your intentions toward-"

"Let me stop you right there. I don't know your source, but I am fully intent on marrying Ziva. And I'm fully intent on telling you to get the hell out. Now."

"I am afraid I cannot do that. I am taking Ziva back to Israel." Eli moved toward Tony's bedroom, but Tony moved in front of him.

"If you want to get to her, you have to go through me." Tony cracked his neck and moved into a fighting stance.

"Why would I want to hurt you?"

"Well, you have about as much respect for me as you do for the Iranians. And I'm going to marry your daughter. The pieces are all there."

"Agent DiNozzo, if I was going to kill you, you would have been dead by now. I am not leaving until you hand over Ziva."

"Not gonna happen. Get out. NOW."

"I cannot do that. Hand Ziva over now, or I promise, you will get hurt."

Tony grabbed Eli by the collar and pinned him up against a wall.

"Listen and listen good. When we got blown up, I didn't see you ANYWHERE, trying to find out if Ziva was okay. It's almost as if you don't care about her, and now you think you can come into my house and take her away from me? I don't think so. I love her. There's no way I'm letting you take my Israeli Ninja just because you think you know what's good for her now. If you want her, you'll have to take her from my cold, dead hands. And frankly, I don't think you've got the balls to do it."

"Both of you, shut up!" Ziva yelled, from inside Tony's room. She came out, looking her father in the eye. "I am staying with Tony. You cannot force me to go with you, anymore than I can force Tony to leave his own apartment. Now, get out."

"I do not believe this. Ziva, you dare to disobey me?"

"Under all circumstances now, yes."

"WHAT!?"

"I am pregnant, and Tony is the father."

Eli made a move for his belt. Reacting instinctively, Tony shot Eli in the shoulders, taking care NOT to kill him. The rounds went through-and-through in both shoulders. Eli got up, swearing as he faced Tony and Ziva.

"This is not over, DiNozzo. And you," he snapped, focusing his attention on Ziva, "you little whore, do not come crying to me when this _chazzer_ leaves you for the next skirt that comes his way in a week."

He spit in her face, and she snapped. Ziva roundhouse kicked her father, knocking him out. Tony dragged Eli outside and locked the door. When Tony got back to his room, he saw Ziva crying. He took her in his arms, but didn't say anything. He thought it was best to let her get it out.

0700, at NCIS. Gibbs pulled Tony and Ziva aside.

"Tony, Ziva, listen to me. This thing with Eli has to stop. I don't care what you two have to do, just end it before we all lose. That's an order." Gibbs said those last three words with force behind them.

"Ziva, I think that we have to move from my apartment."

"Why?"

"With your father gunning for us, we have no choice. And if that means a new house, new car, fine. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to keep you and our child safe."

"Tony-"

"Ziva, this isn't up for debate. Eli has diplomatic immunity. That means he can do whatever he wants on American soil, even kill us. He knows where we live, for crying out loud. It's not safe anymore."

"Is that all? New house, new car?"

"New phones. New numbers."

"Or we leave them off when we're not at work and get a phone for our new place."

"Rule 3. Never be unreachable. Gibbs would kill us."

"Good point Tony. That is one of the many reasons I love you."

"I love you too."


	12. Rule 9 to the Rescue

Seven months after Eli made his threat, he stepped down as Director of Mossad. The official release said "health problems," but he was moving to Washington to kill Tony.

One day, Tony was run off the road heading home from work. He was knocked out and dragged to an old warehouse, where Eli had set up a rather primitive way to torture and kill Tony.

When Tony finally came to, he was standing under a pipe that was running water on him. He saw Eli, who was standing to his left, hooking up jumper cables to a 220-watt current.

"You know, Eli, if you're gonna use old torture techniques, don't use one that was used in 'Lethal Weapon.' You know, the **_Mel Gibson_** movie from 1987. Gary Busey had someone do the same thing to Mel, and Gary and his partner died."

"Shut up. I am going to allow you to call one person before I kill you."

"I wanna talk to Zee-vah. And I want her to hear me kill you."

"You may call Ziva. But she will hear me kill you."

Tony called his home number. When Ziva answered, her voice was shaking.

"_Hi Tony._"

"Hey. You ok?"

"_I am in labor. GET HERE NOW!_"

"Funny story. Your father has me tied up, like in 'Lethal Weapon.' Call Gibbs and Ducky. And-" (He dropped his voice to a whisper) "-tell McGee to track my phone. I'll need his help to get out of this."

Eli pulled Tony's phone away from his ear. "DiNozzo, it is time for you to answer some questions."

"Ask away."

"Are you going to leave my daughter and allow her to return to Israel?"

"Screw you, Eli. I'm not leaving Ziva. Not for you or anyone else."

"Wrong answer." Eli shocked Tony, but instead of screaming in terror, he was laughing.

"What's so funny?" Eli snapped.

"When I was held captive in Somalia, trying to rescue Ziva, something else you didn't give a damn about doing, they used 330-watt shockers. Yours only goes to 220. You lose, Eli. Just like the guy that tried to blow NCIS to hell, I am going to drag you with me. VENDETTA!"

"DiNozzo, You don't know what I am capable of. I know Ziva better than anyone, including you."

"Eli, after all the Hell Ziva and I have gone through together, I know that it's safe for me to say this. **_You don't know her like I do. You'll never understand._**_ You don't know what we've been through. __**That girl's my best friend.**__ There's no way you're gonna help me, she's the only one who can. No, you don't know how much I've got to lose. __**You don't know her like I do**__._"

"No, DiNozzo. I win."

"No, you don't. You see, Gibbs has this rule about never going anywhere without a knife. Your ropes suck, by the way."

"What?"

Tony cut himself down (His knife was in his sleeve - it was a switchblade) and attacked Eli. The two of them fought for about five minutes, until Tony grabbed his SIG and put two in Eli's brain. He picked his phone up and heard Ziva crying.

"Hey!" He yelled, and Ziva seemed to calm down.

"_Tony. Are you ok?_"

"I'm fine. But I'm afraid Eli's not gonna be joining us for awhile."

"_He stopped being my father the moment he called me a whore. I hope you killed him._"

"You're in luck. I did. Had no choice, really. Are Gibbs and Ducky there yet?" Tony heard the door open on the other side of the line.

"_They just got here._"

"I'll be home as soon as I can Ziva. I love you."

"_DiNozzo, meet us at Monroe University Hospital. NOW!_" Gibbs ordered.

"On my way, boss!"

"TONY!" A voice yelled from down the hallway. McGee.

"Gotta go boss." Tony hung up, yelling, "Down here McGee! Follow my voice!"

McGee got to Tony, asking him where Ziva was going to be.

"Monroe University Hospital."


	13. A New Life Begins

Tony and McGee met Gibbs, Ducky and Abby at the hospital. Tony ran up to Gibbs and asked how Ziva was doing.

"She's fine, Tony. I heard you were being tortured. What happened?"

"Eli David. He WAS going to kill me."

"Was?"

"Rule 9 saved my ass, boss. So did my SIG."

Before Gibbs could say anything, a doctor came up to the team. "Mr. DiNozzo?"

Tony wheeled around. "Yeah?"

"The mother of your child is asking for you."

"Take me to her."

At the end of a long hallway, Tony heard Ziva. She was threatening a nurse that was trying to give her a shot.

"Zee-vah! Let the nurse do her job." Tony grinned as he saw Ziva holding their child. "Boy or girl?"

"Boy." Ziva replied.

"Does he have a name yet?"

"No."

"How about Donald Jethro DiNozzo, For Gibbs and Ducky?"

"I like it, Tony. But what if he gets made fun of?"

"He's half David and Half DiNozzo. He'll be throwing knives before he can walk. He'll be fine."

"I just hope my father doesn't try and recruit him."

"Eli won't be recruiting anyone anymore."

"What happened?"

Tony unbuttoned his shirt, showing Ziva the electrical burns, along with the cuts on his face. "I cut myself loose, thanks to that switchblade you gave me. He tried to use a Spetznaz ballistic knife, but my SIG was faster. If I hadn't reacted, I'd be dead right now."

"I know. Then I would be saying _I just can't escape, it's like you're here with me now. But the words you say, they always seem to fade out. Since you've been away, I'm just a face in the crowd. Someday, someday, I know you're Coming Back Down. One day, one day, I know you're Coming Back Down._"

"I love you, Ziva."

"I love you too, Tony."

Gibbs and everyone else walked in as Ziva and Tony were swapping spit. "DiNOZZO!"

"Hey, boss."

"Well?"

"What?"

"Boy or girl?"

"Boy. Donald Jethro DiNozzo. You guys will get to see him when we bring him home."

Abby hugged Tony and Ziva, saying, "You aren't the only ones with big news."

"Well, what is it Abby?" Ziva asked. "Pour it."

"I think you mean 'spill' it," Tony said. "Well?"

"Abby and I are getting married," McGee said.

"To each other?" Head-slap. "Congratulations, McGoo. I knew you had it in you."

"Thanks, Tony." McGee and Tony shared a "bro-hug." Gibbs looked at his team. Tony and Ziva, parents. Abby and McGee were getting married.

"McGee—"

"Boss, I already heard the 'Hurt Abby and Die' Speech. From Abby."

"Good." Gibbs head-slapped McGee and went for a walk. Sensing this was a good idea, Abby and McGee followed him, leaving Tony and Ziva alone.

Tony and Ziva just laughed, knowing it was only the beginning of a new life for everybody around them. Life was great.


End file.
